A sound of gun getting cocked ceased the grunts of Jeongguk and the other.

"Whoa, whoa!" The man grasping Jeongguk wavered in his action, not yet dropping it. Taehyung had the guy on gunpoint with Jeongguk's pistol. A rustle, and a young girl emerged out of a room, aiming her gun at Taehyung, who shot his arms at the figure, now directing the nozzle at the female.

The mood in the apartment room felt terse. Then the bloke stepped away from Jeongguk after disentangling himself with him, resolutely surveying Taehyung's frozen, threatening stature, imposing authoritatively, "Hara, drop it. There're okay," he added, a tint of you better be okay in his tone.

He was regarding the girl, about Taehyung's age, who gradually brings down her weapon, even if Taehyung remained motionless.

Jeongguk considered the brawny man, a hunter-ish ardour reflecting from the boots and heavy jacket, an inch or three taller, his small face skittish with the long, slanting lips. Dimples. A hand stretched out to him, slim and awfully steady.

"Namjoon." The man delivered in a gentlemanly manner, his mien articulate. "Name's Namjoon."

—

Namjoon and Hara were siblings, twenty-three and seventeen, on the run from the soldiers since Ilsan, seeking refuge in the current place. Jeongguk deemed it spectacular how him and Taehyung bumped into them, in the same sanctuary as theirs. The stars must've found a story out of it.

Where Namjoon was a fella with beefy arms, structural grit and remarkable thew, skinnier Hara had her appealing epicanthic folds above chocolate brown, almond eyes that burned with ferocious intellect. Taehyung kept sliding his gaze back at her, perhaps considering to befriend her.

In the darken room with hushed voices, they sat upon shredded cushions and floppy sofas, famished yet at full alert: the soldiers were, indeed, still out there, scavenging for predators.

Jeongguk gritted his teeth. He loathed the lot.

The room they sought asylum in was raided, shattered furniture and splatters of blood on the walls sprinkling ancient paint. The dim light of the small fire they risked to ignite in the middle of the space fell on each person's face, orange. He remembered how he settled with Yoongi familiar in this way, instantly seized by guilt.

Taehyung was right, he concedes, we shouldn't have left Yoongi behind, rethinking right on, but that's not he, himself, decided. I hope he got away to meet Hobi hyung. His agitation swelled when he recalled his very own words, "I'm one of them!"

Stupid ass dumbfuck knucklehead, aren't you, Jeon? His conscience leered. His body contracted vehemently, tautening at the thought of his mistake.

"Jeongguk oppa?"

He lifts his chin up to stare back in the gleaming irises of Hara, who, despite meeting only a few hours ago, adhered with being courteous, rather lovely. Simply respectful. He smiled at her, feeling Taehyung's eyes on him, "Yeah?"

She conjoined tentatively, "Namjoon and I haven't slept for a while, will you, please, look out for us?" Her letters shimmered with grace, her small mouth in a pleading pout.

Jeongguk chuckled, raising a charming brow at Namjoon, the latter impish, tousling his hair. So he grinned ideally, nodding with a little, "Sure, why not?"

"Thanks, buddy," Namjoon puts forth delicately, him and Hara lethargically pulling themselves up on their feet, ambling to another room to crash.

In the irksome silence draping the air left behind, Taehyung and Jeongguk evaded one another's sight.

For the first five seconds.

Taehyung's the one who sighs, and upon scrutinising by Jeongguk, is cradled in the armchair, almost cozily if not for the abundance of thoughts running through their minds. His expression cautiously blank when he uttered, "Might as well teach me how to fire a gun, seeing what might've happened today."

Jeongguk made a sore face, nose scrunching, disagreeing flatly, "Um, no." Guns are a threat, and threats are to be eliminated. Can't put you in danger, Taehyung. He doesn't manage to voice it out loud.

"Jeez, you're impossible."

"You're kinda dumb."

"You lack sensitivity."

"You lack a pair."

"I'll make you lack yours—"

Jeongguk inhaled sharply, glaring pointedly at the younger, "What's your deal? Why don't you do as I say? Do I really have to explain to you like a child?" He sounds harsh, but he's too caught up to care.

Only, Taehyung scoffed, relentlessly hurt deep down, "Something tells me we stopped talking about just one thing, during the last part." His affronted gawp, rather than tick him off, brought Jeongguk down back to his tranquil composure.

He got up abruptly, advancing unto a stunned Taehyung. Upon close proximation, the older nestled on the arm of Taehyung's seat, his other leg dangling off, coercing meekly, "About me, yeah. I was also referring to me being bisexual. Would you forget that I ever told you that?" The other scowled, somewhat peeved.

"But—"

"Please?" begged Jeongguk exasperatedly.

Taehyung, a person Jeongguk was quite sure he has blossomed an affection for, may indeed mirror the same feelings. The only barrier that would stand, would be how treacherous that chance can become, just like taking a dip in the oceans of Bermuda Triangle. No, Taehyung was a mission, a deal, an off-limit.

But, gosh darn, those plush lips Jeongguk wanted to gnaw at—

Taehyung puffed up his cheeks, floofy hair and wide eyes. "Fine," he breathed out, withdrawing from Jeongguk's intimacy, huffing to rise up, fall face-first on the couch near them, dozing off in his slumber.

And that ass, ohmylawrdie.

—

the reason why jeongguk's all worked up because his feeling are all mixed and he doesn't want to admit anything to taehyung. um, also coz of the hormones-

also what's your biggest failed attempt at crushing? 👀

mine: im in my twelfth year rn (this is recent) and i find this really cool dumbass super talented && cute 💕🤪 but i keep him a secret as i make more good girlfriends, two of which i get really closed to and one of them tell me they have a crush on my crush and 💀🤡 guess who sacrificed their life for a friend. 😔💔